The threat of terrorism and counter-terrorism, which generally falls into internal security, is now classified in the category of external security. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called for concerted efforts to counter grave security threats that emanate from the non-state actors externally.
This is seen as a significant step that aims to redefine the conflicting roles amongst the various agencies and forces. In the current scenario, the emerging security threats such as cyber-attacks and information warfare pose grave threats which are critically linked to national security.
Rajnath Singh was addressing the officers of the Indian Armed Forces, Civil Services as well as representatives from friendly foreign countries during the 60th National Defence College (NDC) course convocation ceremony in New Delhi on November 10, 2022.
He termed national security as the prime focus of the Government and stressed the need to consider security as a collective enterprise, which can create a global order beneficial to all, “National security should not be considered a zero-sum game.”
The new dimension of national security
As the gaps between internal and external security are narrowing, the new dimensions of threats are being added with changing times that are difficult to classify. India has been the major target of terrorist attacks where the plans and training were meticulously conducted overseas in coordination with designated terrorist organisation.
In one of major terrorist attacks which took place in 2019, a suicide bomber from the terror group JeM, using a VBIED, killed 40 Indian soldiers from the Central Reserve Police Force in Pulwama, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It triggered the debate that includes the broader realm of national security.
Describing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber-attacks as a big concern, the defence minister highlighted that sectors such as energy, transport, public sector services, telecommunications, critical manufacturing industries and interconnected financial systems are prone to such threats.
Also Read: Sailing through the cyber storm together
He brought out the changing nature of warfare in the ongoing Russia -Ukraine conflict as the deployment of information war was most evident throughout the conflict.
In such a scenario the role of social media has served as a battleground for both sides to spread competing narratives about the war and portray the conflict on their own terms. Taking advantage of the unregulated platforms, the information in the form of propaganda campaigns are used as means of shaping narratives. While addressing the officers of the armed forces, Singh said “the reach has increased by leaps and bounds due to the shift toward social media as the primary distribution channel.”
He added that information warfare has the potential to threaten the political stability of a country. He pointed out that the organised use of social media and other online content generation platforms is engineering the opinion and perspective of the masses.
“The recent Ukrainian conflict showed how its ripple effects could adversely impact the whole world. Together, Russia and Ukraine export nearly a third of the world’s wheat and barley, but this conflict had prevented grain from leaving the ‘breadbasket of the world’ and led to food crises in various African and Asian countries.
The conflict has also fuelled an energy crisis in the world. In Europe, oil and gas supply has been dwindling. India has also been affected as the Russia-Ukraine war led to a disruption in international energy supply, making the energy import much more expensive,” he said.
Referring to the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Defence Minister highlighted the need for greater understanding, connect and cooperative initiatives between institutes and organisations within and across nations to handle issues of national and international security.
Rajnath Singh affirmed India’s belief in a multi-aligned policy, realised through diverse engagements with multiple stakeholders, so that the concerns of all can be addressed for a prosperous future. He termed it as the only way that can lead to shared responsibility and prosperity.
He added that the officers, who have completed the course, will be well equipped to not only handle all future challenges, but will also be able to synergise all elements of national power in a collaborative manner with other stakeholders of national security.
He lauded NDC’s sustained efforts to stay abreast of developments in the global security landscape.
The NDC’s flagship ‘National Security and Strategy’ course, using a comprehensive pedagogical model, is conducted over a 47-week duration. The award of the MPhil degree from Madras University is a concurrently running programme for volunteer officers during the course.
In his address, Commandant NDC, Lt Gen MK Mago stated that the officers of the 60th NDC course would be able to apply a transdisciplinary and out-of-the-box approach to national issues at the strategic level, both in policy formulation and execution.
The NDC was established in 1960. It is a premiere Inter-Services academic institution under Ministry of Defence, responsible for training & grooming of senior officers (of Brigadier equivalent rank) of the Indian Armed Forces, Civil Services as well as from friendly foreign countries. It is considered the highest school of strategic learning in the country,